TeenTix Blog

A Midsummer Night's Dream @ Pacific Northwest BalletPhoto © Angela SterlingGeorge Balanchine once played an elf in A Midsummer Night's Dream. This was when he was a little kid in Russia, but he reportedly remembered numerous lines from the play and, after he grew up and became a world-famous choreographer, he loved to quote them (in, y'know...Russian).You won't hear many (or any) of those lines in PNB's celebrated staging of Balanchine's Midsummer. This is a story told through dance. And what a dance it is; dance writer Anita Finkel has called Balanchine's Midsummer“possibly the greatest narrative ballet of all time.” It's a big, lush, fantastical production with incredible dancing and a story you can follow. What's not to love?A Midsummer Night's DreamPacific Northwest BalletApril 8 - 17

How do set designers do what they do? Here's Seattle Rep design associate (and all around great guy) LB Morse talking about designing the set for the Rep's upcoming production This. You might be familiar with LB's work, even if you don't know it. As a light and set designer, he's recently helped create the worlds for Rep productions The K of D and Dancing at Lughnasa, Seattle Shakes' The Tempest, and "Awesome"'s West at On the Boards.Read more about LB here.ThisSeattle Repertory TheatreApril 8 - May 15Recommended for ages 16+ for profanity, adult situations

We love coming in to work on Monday and finding a twitter feed like this:(click to enlarge)Tears of joy. TEARS OF JOY! We love you, too, thundy08! Welcome to Teen Tix.And, if you're wondering what the rest of the buzz is about, you'd better read Ehrik A.'s awesome review of All My Sons at Intiman, which he praises as a "must-see."Happy Monday from Teen Tix HQ!

This is an awesome piece of writing. Your college essays must have thrived. :D

I have not seen this play, but reading your review makes me want to see it! You really highlight the actors and their acting abilities--nice job!

I agree George and Lennie were great and very believable as best friends. The ending was so poignant and moving.

Review of All My Sons at Intiman Theatre by Ehrik A.Chuck Cooper and Reginald JacksonPhoto by Chris BennionIn order to prepare for this review, I took a trip deep through the box-filled jungles of the family garage to procure a frail, dusty, water-damaged, and horribly annotated copy of All My Sons—thanks, Dad. Admittedly, I feared that going to review such a respected and reproduced classic as this set itself up to sounding a little like another one of my English papers without adding much that hasn’t already been said about this play. Synopsis: Set in America during the aftermath of World War II, Arthur Miller’s All My Sons explores the conflicting personal, familial, and societal commitments that ultimately limit the achievability of the American Dream.However, in her Intiman debut, director Valerie Curtis-Newton brings a new lens to Miller’s work by setting the play closer to home in Seattle's Central District with a non-traditional African-American cast led by Tony Award-winning actor Chuck Cooper. The decision works exceptionally well and adds a unique element to the show that not only fits the play’s themes, but also enhances them.Reginald Jackson, Nicole Lewis, Chuck Cooper and Margo Moorer Photo by Chris BennionThe story centers on factory owner Joe Keller (Cooper), who is suspected of allowing faulty airplane parts to be shipped, resulting in the deaths of 21 military pilots during World War II. Although Joe was eventually exonerated, his business partner Steve Deever was sent to prison for the crime. Nevertheless, the issue resurfaces again when the two men’s children begin to discover the answers to unresolved questions and ultimately find out the ethical dilemmas one may face when trying to achieve the American idea of success.The acting is consistently terrific with Joe, his wife Kate (Margo Moorer), and their son Chris (Reginald Jackson) standing out among the ensemble. Perhaps the best and most touching moments of the play occur when these three characters are on stage together, and each role equally contains the capacity for you to see a bit of yourself in their thoughts and actions.Whether or not the translation of a traditionally white cast of characters in the Midwest to an interracial one in our own Pacific Northwest is historically plausible is irrelevant. The characters’ race never distracts from the core issue of the play, and if anything, it sets the stakes higher as a chance at racial equality implicitly becomes a factor in the conflict between self-interest and self-sacrifice (this may not make sense now, but watch the play and have your questions answered!). Furthermore, the reimagining adds dialectical flair to the original text as the actors employ an African-American cadence, adding a more natural lightness and humor to the dialogue.This particular incarnation of All My Sons was a fitting way to kick of this crucial season at Intiman, taking a classic American story in an adventurous new direction. Uniformly thought-provoking and enjoyable, this one is a must-see.All My SonsIntiman TheaterThrough April 17

Review of Of Mice and Men @ Seattle Rep by Jamie K.Most people think of Of Mice and Men as a novel, but fewer realize that John Steinbeck himself adapted it for the stage in 1937, the same year that the book was published. The story examines the plight of migrant workers in the 1930s. The two main characters show what friends really are, with George leading the way, and Lennie always faithfully following him.Charles Leggett as Lenny and Troy Fischnaller as George. Photo by Chris Bennion. Troy Fischnaller and Charles Leggett play the unforgettable roles of George and Lennie. The memorable pair travel to a ranch to try to raise enough money to get a place of their own. My first impression of the portrayal of George was that he was too angry and mean. But as the show goes on, Fischnaller’s performance really grows on you. He provides just the right amount of anger, sympathy, sadness, and humor. Fischnaller really portrays the part the way it should be played: a tough man, who gets irritated rather quickly, yet has a soft side. Leggett, who plays the part of Lennie, makes you laugh, cry, and feel sorry for him. Leggett and Fischnaller make a great combination for the parts of George and Lennie, by convincing the audience of their deep friendship and loyalty.The other actors really show how versatile they are. Seanjohn Walsh plays the part of Curley. In the book, you see Curley as a hard, angry man with a hand full of vaseline. But instead Walsh plays the part stuck up and vain, which evokes a laugh every time he comes on stage. He adds a comedic side that helps people cope with the hard issues in the play.Charles Leggett as Lenny and Elise Karolina Hunt as Candy’s Wife. Photo by Chris Bennion. Seattle Rep has a history of putting up great sets. In this production they didn’t hit a home run. The set is very good, but it just doesn't stand out. In the production they show all of the houses without walls, which is fine, if you can make it work. But they don’t come through; a couple times actors walked through walls instead of the doorways. That was the only item in the production that wasn’t great.Of Mice and MenSeattle Repertory TheatreThrough April 10

Review of The Owl and The Woodpecker @ The Burke Museum by Samantha V.A female Snowy Owl's brood patch is visible as she returns to the nest.Photo by Paul BannickHave you ever seen an owl on the hunt, or heard a woodpecker as it hammers away on a tree? The Burke's newest exhibit, The Owl and The Woodpecker, gives you a chance to experience these things for yourself. This exhibit is made up mostly of beautiful nature photos of our native owls and woodpeckers taken by Paul Bannick, and with the sound of these birds in your ears and what feels like all their eyes following you, this exhibit sheds light on some creatures we don't often see.I have to say that as far as nature photography goes, Bannick is really good. He can capture a moment in an animal's life in a way that engages and makes sense to us without humanizing them too much. For instance: a Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker gets really startled when his mate pops her head out of their nest cavity, a Snowy Owl stares solemnly at you as the sun sets on its tundra home, and an Acorn Woodpecker looks out on the world surrounded by it granary full of acorns. These photos are not only wonderful to look at, but also are very inspiring in that they offer us a look at some of the many creatures that make our environment unique and what we can do to keep it that way.A Hairy Woodpecker excavates a cavity in a quaking aspen tree.Photo by Paul BannickThere was one thing that wasn't a photo that truly caught my eye: a case full of wings. The wing of a Great Horned Owl is at least a foot and half long. It really put into perspective how large and how small these birds are. But no matter how big or small, there will always be things that make them special. From a woodpecker's hard head and dramatic colors to an owl's silent wings and big eyes. It is amazing how these birds survive and with enough help, it is likely that the woods of Washington State will never be without them.The Owl and the WoodpeckerThe Burke MuseumThrough August 7, 2011

Review of The Beams Are Creaking at Taproot Theatre by Callan C.Matt Shimkus as Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Photo by Erik Stuhaug.I’ve heard it said that good art makes you think. If that is the case, then The Beams are Creaking at Taproot Theatre definitely fits into the category of good art. As the true story of German pastor and theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a martyr in the German resistance during World War II, the play forces the audience to question religion and morality just as Bonhoeffer did. The show begins in Germany in 1933, just as Adolf Hitler and the Nazis are taking power. Bonhoeffer quickly becomes appalled at the Fuhrer’s overwhelming dominance of the government, and at the constricting hold being placed on the German Church. As the book burnings, arrests, and persecution of Jews escalate, Bonhoeffer knows he must take action, but struggles to choose between resistance and all-out treason. His decision has the power to not only affect his life and others’, but to change the course of the war.Though stories of sacrifice during World War II are not uncommon, Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s is one that is seldom told. Thankfully, Taproot Theatre’s production of The Beams are Creaking allows Bonhoeffer’s self-sacrifice to be seen and appreciated. The characters, although of a different time and place, are relatable. Bonhoeffer himself (played by Matt Shimkus) is a charismatic leader. In Taproot’s intimate setting, the play takes on a personable quality, as though these characters are inviting us to witness their lives up close. An unexpected aspect of the play is the reflection of Bonhoeffer’s love for music; church hymns, in particular, add a soft sense of hope to the production. While I noticed minor errors in speech and song, they were few and to be expected on opening night. I appreciated the timing of the play, which moves quickly without overly long scenes or boring dialogues. The juxtaposition of humor and seriousness is a nice touch – even in seemingly dire situations, the actors are able to get an unforeseen laugh from the audience. Although a historical play of this type could be dull if not performed well, I found this particular show to be engaging and somewhat suspenseful. Even when I already knew the ending, I still found myself wondering what would happen next.I cannot vouch for the 100% historical accuracy of this play. There are moments that seem a little questionable, including one where a prison guard shows amazing sympathy for Bonhoeffer. Yet despite such moments, this play is educational and thought-provoking. Even for teens living in Seattle in the 21st century, this production still holds questions and ideas that are new and relevant. So if you like good art, try The Beams are Creaking and prepare for some serious thought.The Beams Are CreakingTaproot TheatreThrough April 23

To quote the all-wise and ever-helpful Sassy Gay Friend of YouTube fame, “What are you doing. What. What. What are you doing.” Right now, I hope that your answer to this question is not “Sitting at home on Facebook,” or “Watching reruns of Project Runway” (Mondo was robbed), because cool things are happening. Weird things. Funky things. Things that you are not quite sure the significance or meaning of, but that make you laugh all the same. Things with strange instruments. Things with dirt. These things are all often happening in their own right, but rarely do such auspicious events combine into one, funky, eclectic whole. Right now in Seattle, it has, in My Arm is Up in the Air, in the shoebox-like Studio Theater at On the Boards. The one-man, one-hour show stars Charles Smith, a long-time fixture of Seattle fringe theater. Smith certainly makes the most of his hour, and the show reaches in about a thousand different directions. Smith digs into his childhood, pop culture, and Seattle history. The aforementioned dirt comes into the picture when Smith discusses the 1916 Denny Regrade, which was at the time the largest earthworks ever. Seattle leaders decided that Denny Hill had been inconveniently placed by God and was blocking off the northern growth of the city, and so they decided to completely flatten it, to the surprise and anger of some local homeowners, who were stranded atop sudden towers of earth after refusing to abandon their property. As Smith discusses the regrade, dirt rains down from the ceiling, scattering across the stage and his body, as he revels in it. The numerous musical interludes that Smith scatters through the work are as funky as the monologues. Smith sings and plays on the hammered dulcimer, autoharp, and bowed psaltery, which I had never seen until that night and may never again. The songs, in numerous languages, often fail to live up to the rest of the play. Certainly they are a novelty, but they pale in comparison to Smith’s monologues. Words he plays like a master, but the music and singing lacked the same expertise and quality. Though the monologues are excellent, teenage patrons must be warned that some of the pop culture references in this show are obscure. Really obscure. Like before-1980 obscure, which as we all know is before the dawn of recorded history. I followed Smith through The Brady Bunch references, kept up with the Clinton administration jokes, but in some places just got plain lost. Advice to teenagers: laugh along with the thirty- and forty-somethings while nodding reminiscently when this happens. I will not remember My Arm is Up in the Air as the most interesting show I saw this year. Nor will I mark it as the funniest, wittiest, kookiest, craziest, most unexpected, beautiful, or fascinating show of 2011. To its credit, this is because it tries to do all these things, and it succeeds in defiantly being its own, little, weird self. My Arm is Up in the Air On the Boards FINAL NIGHT TONIGHT: Monday, March 28

Tucker, your honesty and sense of humor make your reviews a pleasure to read. Keep up the awesome work.

Ambient Intimacy @ NW Film ForumThe cool kids from local film collective The Beta Society bring us this one-night-only exploration of how YouTube, facebook, WikiLeaks, and their ilk have made all our secrets public and our most intimate moments "ambient." Ambient Intimacy presents a selection of the web's most notoriously intimate moments; blogger moms, live interactive Facebook profile construction game, chat roulette on the big screen, and generally a show-and-tell unlike anything you’ve experienced in a theater before. Be a part of it!NOTE: due to the improvisational nature of this event, it is difficult to predict content. Discretion is advised.

ONE NIGHT ONLY: Ambient Intimacy @ Northwest Film ForumCAPITOL HILLFri Mar 25more info

Review of The King's Proposal at Seattle Musical Theatre by Rachel T. Do you enjoy laughing until tears come to your eyes? Does the thought of Monty Python and Shakespeare thrown in a blender appeal to you? Do wittily worded silly songs about being lost “not physically, but emotionally” and fairy tale creatures “getting freaky” entice you?

Review of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 @ Seattle Symphony by Bethany B. When I was little, the worst place I could possibly imagine was the symphony. I hated sitting for what seemed like hours just listening. A play or ballet was infinitely better than the orchestra. At the ballet, you see beautiful dancers and hear amazing music. The symphony, with the black clad stationary musicians, was just half the package!

Review of Contemporary 4 @ Pacific Northwest Ballet by Safaa D.Oh, dear! Is it possible not to like a PNB production? I shall attempt to give as clear and honest a review as possible without gushing like some crazed female fan after a Justin Bieber concert.Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Carla Körbes and Olivier Wevers in Mark Morris’s Pacific. Photo © Angela SterlingThe evening’s performance begins with Pacific, a piece by our own Seattle man Mark Morris.His normally turbulent stage is settled somewhat by this dance, which is meant to evoke a sense of the sea and native Pacific islanders. The flowing costumes give it a light graceful feel, and the sharp precision that ballet dancers train years to perfect is replaced with floppy, seemingly less controlled movements, characteristic of Morris.Pacific Northwest Ballet corps de ballet dancers Ezra Thomson and Margaret Mullin in Marco Goecke’s Place a Chill. Photo © Angela SterlingThe next performance brings us to the darker, more scrupulously choreographed Place a Chill. Marco Goeke (pronounced GO-KEE) returns to us with his new work based on the story of a talented cellist whose career and life were cut short when a disease caused her to lose control over her limbs and core. Goeke has the dancers twitching, jerking and waving. Men and women in gray flannel pants and ballroom shoes resolutely use every limb and digit in this very physical dance. Though not what I would call visually stunning I enjoyed the simple yet dramatic presentation. It was also the perfect contrast to the next performance: The loud, the red, The Piano Dance.Pacific Northwest Ballet soloist Chalnessa Eames and corps de ballet dancer Josh Spell in Paul Gibson’s The Piano Dance. Photo © Angela SterlingSet to the score of five different composers, a piano lends music to this daring and physically challenging piece. The raciest of the four, this dance twirls through pas de trois. Complex lifts captivate the audience. The rouged smiles and snakelike maneuvers give this piece an almost burlesque feel, though with the grace and litheness of ballet. It is an unforgettable performance and a wonderful build up to Alexei Ratmansky’s ballet.Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancers Karel Cruz and Carla Körbes in Alexei Ratmansky’s Concerto DSCH. Photo © Angela SterlingOn to the last dance by the choreographer I most looked forward to this night. Concerto DSCH is set to the score of Dmitri Shostakovich (remember the Steadfast Tin Soldier’s music in Fantasia 2000?) and quite deserving of the grand finale. It is a spectacular dance that takes you from the sexy eight person Piano Dance to a rollicking full stage of dancers leaping higher and higher!The compilation of grace, darkness, light, and classic never lets your mind wander.If you want a smorgasbord of different styles, maybe introduce yourself or someone to ballet, grab your tickets and meet me in the house for Contemporary 4!Contemporary 4Pacific Northwest BalletThrough March 27

When Marie Howe walks onstage, something tells you that she is a woman that you want to listen to. Maybe it is her amazingly, delightfully big hair, which seems to have a personality all of its own. Maybe it is her calm, collected manner, or her erudite sense of humor. Maybe she has figured out how to distill gravitas and perfumes herself with it. At any rate, she is captivating from the start, and so is her poetry. Howe does what any good poet must; her words are finely, exactly chosen, and her poems lead you where she wants you. She made us laugh, wonder, and most of all to delve deep into the mind and souls of her work. Howe writes predominantly in personae, many of them religious. Several of the poems she read that night were written from the perspective of the Virgin Mary, reflecting casually on the Annunciation. Howe certainly does not shy away from megalithic archetypes in her work; perhaps the most striking poem of the evening was her piece written as Eve, describing the moment after the Fall. This is where Howe truly shines. She has the ability to worm her way into the giants of our lore, myths, and tradition, and make them seem human. In no way did her work debase them to make them accessible, but in assuming the personae of figures such as Jesus, Mary Magdalene, and others, she was able to remind us that they were living, breathing people, too. When she speaks to you as Eve, it is not hard to imagine that you are simply having a cup of coffee with your friend over lunch, a conversation like any two people might have. Where society has elevated these characters beyond the stature of normal life, Howe’s poetry was able to casually reach up, bring them back down to earth, and to make them real. In doing so, Howe only makes their stories more powerful and more vivid. Tragically, Marie Howe has left Seattle and is back to doing whatever it is poets do during the work week (of all the great mysteries of life, poetry has yet to explain this one to me). However, other opportunities await. The poetry series at Seattle Arts and Lectures never fails to disappoint, and is not to be missed. Seeing Marie Howe and hearing her work took my brain in new directions, put words together in ways that had me nodding up and down, or laughing out loud, and my money’s on the fact that the next poet that SAL has in will too. Check it out—you’ll be glad you did. Maria Howe was a one night only event Next Up at Seattle Arts & Lectures' Poetry Series: Poetry Triple Threat with Brian Turner, Major Jackson & Susan Rich Thursday, April 14 @ 7:30 PM Benaroya Hall REMEMBER: Seattle Arts & Lectures events are ALWAYS FREE for Teen Tix members, and you can ALWAYS bring a guest for $5.00!

Contemporary 4 @ Pacific Northwest BalletLet's not talk about ballet. Let's look at ballet.Carla Körbes and Batkhurel Bold in PacificLucien Postlewaite and Benjamin Griffiths in PacificChalness Eames and Josh Spell in The Piano DanceAll photos by Angela Sterling.Contemporary 4Pacific Northwest BalletMarch 18 - 27

Review of Distracted at ArtsWest by Allison C.Photo by Michael BrunkI sit like a deer in headlights as the “actor with ADD” (Zach Adair) yells at me about Ritalin and how it has changed his life. Wait, no, is he Dr. Karnes now? No, maybe he’s Dr. Jinks? Before my mind can even really process these questions I’m drawn back to what he’s saying. The house lights are on, we’re making eye contact, and I feel like everything he’s saying is directed only at me. To tell the truth, I’m a little scared.It’s hard to be distracted watching Distracted. I swear, I’m doing all I can to keep my mouth from gaping open like a fish. The plotline is fast-moving and extremely relevant to today, and the organization is compelling (and yes, a bit scary). Distracted follows a mom and dad dealing with their son’s diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Dad (played by Brandon Felker) refuses to believe that his son, Jesse (played by 12-year-old Cameron Lee), has a problem, and leaves Mama (played by Heather Hawkins) to sift through the conflicting advice she gets from doctors, therapists, teachers, and neighbors to find a way to help him. With a seemingly endless flow of media from screen projections of email, the news, Facebook, Wii, and TV, the play blurs the line between ADHD and the modern lifestyle. It makes me question if the increase in ADHD diagnoses is due to medical improvement, or the avalanche of new technological distractions. Between online shopping, phone calls, TiVo, and work, let alone their son, Mama and Dad barely even find time to discuss anything. At times they appear even more distracted than Jesse. The battle against our impersonally technological world is hardly unique, yet the play stands out in my mind.Photo by Michael BrunkThere seems to be a trend in shows aimed to portray the struggle over whether or not to medicate for mental illness (like Next to Normal playing at the 5th Ave Theatre). The familial struggle is not outstandingly different from other productions, either, but what makes this play different is the way it is presented. The actors openly admit that they are playing multiple roles and sometimes go out of character, asking who they are supposed to be playing. Mama often speaks directly to the audience and even acknowledges the fact that she is on stage. Instead of ruining the illusion of looking into a family’s actual life, it strengthens the play, making it seem more personal. What we see is what the characters openly choose to tell us. We are their listeners, their confidants. It is our job to take what they tell us and learn from it.Distracted left me feeling like I had gained something. Something mental or emotional, I can’t tell. I feel like a more aware and weathered person. It is as if I was Mama, and I had just lived through her life, taking the lessons she learned along with me. I am ready to face the world with new eyes. My mind is clear of its usual technological buzz. Don’t let me get distracted.DistractedArtsWestThrough April 2Ages 14+ for adult language and themes

bad move there nwff.